Pengaruh Kepemimpinan Kepala Sekolah dan Iklim Kerja Terhadap Kinerja Guru TK Melalui Motivasi Kerja Sebagai Variabel Mediasi di Kecamatan Bekasi Utara

The Influence of Principals’ Leadership and Work Climate on Kindergarten Teachers’ Performance through Work Motivation as a Mediating Variable in North Bekasi District

ABSTRAK

Lailil Oxtavia. 2025. Pengaruh Kepemimpinan Kepala Sekolah dan Iklim Kerja Terhadap Kinerja Guru TK Melalui Motivasi Kerja Sebagai Variabel Mediasi di Kecamatan Bekasi Utara. Tesis. Program Studi S-2 Manajemen Pendidikan, Fakultas Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Negeri Surabaya. Pembimbing: (I) Dr. Karwanto, M.Pd. dan (II) Dr. Mohammad Syahidul Haq, S.Pd., M.Pd.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji tujuh hipotesis mengenai pengaruh kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dan iklim kerja terhadap motivasi kerja dan kinerja guru Taman Kanak-Kanak (TK) di Kecamatan Bekasi Utara, baik secara langsung maupun tidak langsung melalui motivasi kerja sebagai variabel mediasi. Secara khusus, penelitian ini menguji: (1) pengaruh kepemimpinan kepala sekolah terhadap motivasi kerja guru; (2) pengaruh iklim kerja terhadap motivasi kerja guru; (3) pengaruh kepemimpinan kepala sekolah terhadap kinerja guru; (4) pengaruh iklim kerja terhadap kinerja guru; (5) pengaruh motivasi kerja terhadap kinerja guru; (6) peran motivasi kerja dalam memediasi pengaruh kepemimpinan kepala sekolah terhadap kinerja guru; dan (7) peran motivasi kerja dalam memediasi pengaruh iklim kerja terhadap kinerja guru.

Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode survei. Populasi penelitian adalah seluruh guru TK di Kecamatan Bekasi Utara yang berjumlah 337 guru. Sampel penelitian sebanyak 77 guru ditentukan menggunakan rumus Slovin dengan margin of error 10% dan dipilih melalui teknik purposive sampling. Data dikumpulkan menggunakan kuesioner berskala Likert dan dianalisis menggunakan Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) dengan bantuan perangkat lunak SmartPLS 4.1.0.0.

Hasil pengujian hipotesis menunjukkan bahwa: (1) kepemimpinan kepala sekolah tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap motivasi kerja guru; (2) iklim kerja tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap motivasi kerja guru; (3) kepemimpinan kepala sekolah tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap kinerja guru; (4) iklim kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja guru; (5) motivasi kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja guru; (6) motivasi kerja tidak memediasi pengaruh kepemimpinan kepala sekolah terhadap kinerja guru; dan (7) motivasi kerja tidak memediasi pengaruh iklim kerja terhadap kinerja guru.

Kebaruan (novelty) penelitian ini terletak pada temuan bahwa dalam konteks pendidikan anak usia dini, khususnya TK, iklim kerja merupakan determinan utama kinerja guru, sementara kepemimpinan kepala sekolah tidak menunjukkan pengaruh signifikan baik secara langsung maupun melalui motivasi kerja. Temuan ini menantang asumsi umum dalam literatur manajemen pendidikan yang menempatkan kepemimpinan sebagai faktor dominan peningkatan kinerja, serta menegaskan pentingnya faktor kontekstual dan psikososial di lingkungan kerja TK.

Berdasarkan hasil tersebut, penelitian ini merekomendasikan agar sekolah dan pemangku kebijakan pendidikan lebih memprioritaskan penciptaan iklim kerja yang kondusif melalui peningkatan kualitas lingkungan kerja, kejelasan peran, komunikasi internal, dan dukungan antarguru. Selain itu, strategi peningkatan motivasi kerja guru perlu dilakukan secara langsung dan berkelanjutan, sementara peran kepemimpinan kepala sekolah perlu diarahkan pada fungsi fasilitatif dan suportif yang sesuai dengan karakteristik guru TK.

Kata kunci: kepemimpinan kepala sekolah, iklim kerja, motivasi kerja, kinerja guru, SEM-PLS, guru TK.

ABSTRACT

Lailil Oxtavia. 2025. The Influence of Principals’ Leadership and Work Climate on Kindergarten Teachers’ Performance through Work Motivation as a Mediating Variable in North Bekasi District. Thesis. Master’s Program in Educational Management, Faculty of Education, Universitas Negeri Surabaya. Supervisors: (I) Dr. Karwanto, M.Pd. and (II) Dr. Mohammad Syahidul Haq, S.Pd., M.Pd.

This study aims to test seven hypotheses regarding the effects of principal leadership and work climate on kindergarten teachers’ work motivation and performance in North Bekasi District, both directly and indirectly through work motivation as a mediating variable. Specifically, the study examines: (1) the effect of principal leadership on teachers’ work motivation; (2) the effect of work climate on teachers’ work motivation; (3) the effect of principal leadership on teachers’ performance; (4) the effect of work climate on teachers’ performance; (5) the effect of work motivation on teachers’ performance; (6) the mediating role of work motivation in the relationship between principal leadership and teachers’ performance; and (7) the mediating role of work motivation in the relationship between work climate and teachers’ performance.

This research employed a quantitative approach using a survey method. The population consisted of 337 kindergarten teachers in North Bekasi District. A sample of 77 teachers was determined using the Slovin formula with a 10% margin of error and selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 4.1.0.0 software.

The hypothesis testing results indicate that: (1) principal leadership has no significant effect on teachers’ work motivation; (2) work climate has no significant effect on teachers’ work motivation; (3) principal leadership has no significant effect on teachers’ performance; (4) work climate has a positive and significant effect on teachers’ performance; (5) work motivation has a positive and significant effect on teachers’ performance; (6) work motivation does not mediate the effect of principal leadership on teachers’ performance; and (7) work motivation does not mediate the effect of work climate on teachers’ performance.

The novelty of this study lies in its empirical evidence that, within the context of early childhood education, work climate emerges as the most critical determinant of teacher performance, while principal leadership does not demonstrate a significant influence either directly or indirectly through work motivation. This finding challenges the dominant leadership-centered perspective in educational management literature and highlights the importance of contextual and psychosocial work environment factors in kindergarten settings.

Based on these findings, this study recommends that schools and education authorities prioritize the development of a supportive work climate by improving the quality of the work environment, role clarity, internal communication, and collegial support. Furthermore, strategies to enhance teachers’ work motivation should be implemented directly and continuously, while principal leadership practices should be oriented toward facilitative and supportive roles aligned with the characteristics of kindergarten teachers.

Keywords: principal leadership, work climate, work motivation, teacher performance, SEM-PLS, kindergarten teachers